Meeting notes

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Under this proposal, Austin would add $200,000 to its existing contract with Catholic Charities of Central Texas, which helps immigrants secure legal status, obtain U.S. work authorization and get counseling services. The extra funding will provide services for an additional 50 people per month.

Council Member Ora Houston's proposed a study on adding five new view corridors through East Austin, preserving views of the Capitol while capping the height of future development in the area. The final vote proceeded with studying four of these corridors, delaying a decision on the Rosewood Park corridor that could impede redevelopment plans for the University Medical Center Brackenridge site owned by the Travis County hospital district. Central Health is relying on redevelopment of the site to generate revenue to provide indigent healthcare in the community. Meanwhile, developers and affordable housing activists warn the new caps would make it harder for the city to build the housing it needs and potentially cost it billions in future tax revenue. However, Houston argues the issue is about equity — that East Austin residents deserve the same access to views that other neighborhoods are guaranteed.

Final vote passed

Amendment passed

This amendment delayed a decision on whether to study one of the five proposed corridors, the one preserving the view from Rosewood Park. This corridor would likely impact the redevelopment of the University Medical Center Brackenridge site. Houston argued that studies on all five corridors should proceed because a final decision approving the corridors won't be made until later, but other council members wanted to give more time to hospital district officials to evaluate the potential impact to their site. Under this amendment, a decision on whether to study this Rosewood Park corridor was postponed until March 2.

Endeavor Real Estate Group and Columbus Realty Partners are seeking City Council approval to redevelop land near the Plaza Saltillo MetroRail station in East Austin, by adding 125-foot-tall office building and 800 apartments to the site. The 11-acre site is owned by Capital Metro, which selected the developers. Much of the debate has centered over the height of the office building and the number of apartments that would be considered “affordable” under city policy and reserved for people making 50 percent or less of median family income in Austin.

Final vote passed

This vote on second reading keeps the proposal moving forward, but the final decision will happen at a future meeting when the item returns for third reading.

Spire Realty's proposed redevelopment of the Austin Oaks office park in Northwest Austin would build 1.2 million square feet of offices, hotel space, retail and 250 housing units, in buildings up to seven stories tall. Advocates say it would bring new housing, parkland, restaurants and other amenities to the neighborhood, while not dramatically expanding the developer's entitlements. Critics argue the redevelopment of the office park, located at MoPac and Spicewood Springs Road, would add too many cars to nearby streets and would cut down too many trees.